The Fall of Blood Pressure Following Induction of Deciduomata in Steroid Hypertensive Rats Receiving Progesterone

Abstract

Experimental deciduomata and progesterone together lower the blood pressure in the steroid hypertensive rat from the 5th to 10th day of decidual growth i. e. from the 10th to 15th day of pseudopregnancy. This would suggest that the fall of blood pressure at an equivalent time of gestation in hypertensive pregnant rats could be due to the maternal decidua under the influence of progesterone. It is further considered that the metrial gland of the deciduoma is more likely to be responsible for the hypotensive effect and by comparison that the metrial gland is implicated in the hypotensive effect of pregnancy. Progesterone alone also exerts a minor hypotensive effect in those animals in which a nephrectomy forms part of the hypertension regimen and indicates one way in which a maternal renal factor could influence blood pressure responses in hypertensive pregnant rats.